Where to start w/ trivia & life?

[MrMushnik]

Hi all,

I want to learn more. I've always been more of a "game show fan" (I've been on "Wheel" and "BAM" [which I sucked at], and TBA game show), than a J! fan specifically, but meeting a lot of people in the trivia community lately makes me want to know more.

And if not J!-centric, maybe just for life. I think a lot of the champions (??) aren't frequenters of this board, and I admire the knowledge they have.

When I watch J!, I want to be like those people. I think the best ones are "life long learners." At the same time, I don't want my only goal in life to be on J!. It's a big world out there and J! can't be the ultimate goal because for many amazing trivia people, it doesn't pan out how they want.

Just wondering what you would advise to "get on track." I really like trivia format/pub quizzes, but I suck. What is your daily routine re: news consumption and life.

Thanks,

Kevin

[harrumph]

I like the idea of knowledge for knowledge's sake. While I'm not a scientist, currently I'm focusing on cell biology, which can also involve a good dose of chemistry. The field is far from being settled knowledge and has made fundamental advancements in our lifetimes. There's very little overlap to trivia games from it.

[NoWhammies10]

Buzzy Cohen got me on to this podcast: BBC Radio 4's In Our Time, which features host Melvyn Bragg and guests discussing classical literature, art, history -- it's a must listen for any J! hopefuls.

[badgerfellow]

Trivia podcasts have become quite popular. If you're a fan of the pub quiz format, Trivial Warfare is the way to go. OntarioTheQuizzer hosts Complete The List, which is always a fun listen. Many boardies here have been on one of these, if not both.

Really just search "trivia" in your podcast player and you will find a plethora of podcasts out there, all with a different format and flavor.

[cmp146]

I like the idea of knowledge for knowledge's sake. While I'm not a scientist, currently I'm focusing on cell biology, which can also involve a good dose of chemistry. The field is far from being settled knowledge and has made fundamental advancements in our lifetimes. There's very little overlap to trivia games from it.

I teach cell biology and biochemistry, and I can say that the topic does pop up in Learned League and other quizzing formats occasionally. Aren't cells so incredibly cool though? Anyway, congratulations on delving into the inner workings of life at its most basic level!

[cmp146]

Read widely, take some courses in things you don't know, but want to learn more. There are free ones on Coursera, or other internet based platforms. Check out podcasts and digests. NPR has great shows (as does the CBC) on tons of topics. Look things up if you don't get references, and then learn more about those topics.

I find I learn more if I am interested in the topic. Lists bore me, so I was never one to just cram things like that. If I can know a bit more about it, then it sticks. That being said, I do try to learn more about things that I know I am weak. I am terrible at pop music, so I try to listen more, and learn who sings the songs that I like on the radio or spotify. Eventually I will improve.

[triviawayne]

Read widely, take some courses in things you don't know, but want to learn more. There are free ones on Coursera, or other internet based platforms. Check out podcasts and digests. NPR has great shows (as does the CBC) on tons of topics. Look things up if you don't get references, and then learn more about those topics.

I find I learn more if I am interested in the topic. Lists bore me, so I was never one to just cram things like that. If I can know a bit more about it, then it sticks. That being said, I do try to learn more about things that I know I am weak. I am terrible at pop music, so I try to listen more, and learn who sings the songs that I like on the radio or spotify. Eventually I will improve.

For that pop-culture type stuff, I watch the previews on IMDB of the top ten movies each week (the previews I haven't seen yet), I look at the top 10 songs and records on Billboard, and I look at the NY TImes best-seller lists each week.